Better Days to Come
by SupernaturalMurderdoll
Summary: The Elric boys are at it again... A new assignment, new people,...new relationships? Read the introduction to find out more.. I do not own ed or al, or any of the original charaters, but! I do own KiKi, so please don't steal my chatacers
1. Introduction

Better Days to Come

((Introduction))

Human kind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only, truth.

Ed and Al have another assignment; it may not be as big and glorious as they might have wished for. Their assignment was to accomplish their testing in Central, then go directly back to their hometown, Resembool. They have been studying once more to regain the title of State Alchemist. Not much has happened since they've returned from the alternate universe, how they found a way back, no one knows. Some say they re-opened a portal somewhere in the deserts, some say otherwise.

Alphonse now has his body back to normal, but sadly he still does not have all of his memories back. He had to ask his old teacher to re-train him in the use and study of Alchemy. But that's a whole other story, that I'll tell you when this one is through and gone. ResemboolResemboolResembool


	2. Chapter 1

Better Days to Come

[[Chapter 1: Completed

Ed comes out from the library in Central, with granted permission from General Mustang. "Hey Al!" Ed waves his hand in the air. "Brother! Did you get it?" Ed smirks and winks at Alphonse. While walking down the street, they spotted Winry at the train station. "Brother look, it's Winry!" Al shouts out in excitement. "Ha-Hey hey Winry." Ed and Al walk up to greet her. "Hey boys, I see you both need some work. Ed, you have to stop abusing my work." Winry pulls his auto-mail arm over towards her and examines it excitedly. "Ah, come one Winry; enjoy your day or so visiting." Ed pulls his arm back embarrassed. "Ok then, you should buy me something!" She grabs both of the boys and jets off. Later that evening, they all return to the little apartment Ed and Al were staying in at the time.

"So, this is it huh?" Winry looks around unsatisfied. "You say that like it's a bad thing Winry" Al adds in a little upset. "Oh! No Al it's wonderful." Winry looks away and rolls her eyes. "Hey brother, you've got a letter." Ed turns, "whose it from Al?" Al shrugs, for there was no name written ion the envelope. "Heh, it's probably from Mustang…" Ed opens the letter and begins to read:

_Edward Elric,_

_It's been a while and I have finally tracked you down. How have you been? I hope all of your studies are going well. I know your probably freaking out right now because I left no name on the envelope. I am not your enemy, but a long lost friend. I hope to hear back from you… So in that case tomorrow, around noon, meet me at the local flower market. I actually might enjoy some red and white roses, or even white lilies. I hope that gives you a clue; I'll be standing by the black roses; till then…_

_Forever yours_

Ed stops to think, "Those flowers…" His face lights up and he remembers a long lost friend from two years ago. They met her when they were searching for the philosopher's stone. "Hey Alphonse, tomorrow you should take Winry to the shopping center they just built, around lunch." Al grows suspicious, "Why that time of day brother is something wrong?" Ed shakes his head no, "I just think you and Winry should catch up that's all." Al agrees and shows Winry where she'll be sleeping. "Those flowers, I thought she would have forgotten all about those. Heh, I only left them to tell her I was sorry for leaving her… For leaving us in a rush like I did; I was so foolish back then, she meant so much to me and more. But, I had my mind set on one thing, the philosopher's stone. After I found it, I couldn't find her. I've missed her; there hasn't been a day I haven't thought about her smile, her laugh…" "Brother, are you ok?" Al finds Ed with his head resting in his hand, daydreaming, and looking out of the window into the sunny day. "Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm good Al… So should we order out?" Winry and Alphonse give thumbs up.

**Older Brother:: 17**

**Younger Brother:: 16**


	3. Chapter 2

Better Days to Come

[[Chapter 2: Flowers with Happiness

Ed's buzzer did the sound off at ten o'clock in the morning the next day. Ed slams his hand down on the snooze button. "I'm still sleepy alarm clock five more minutes…" Just then Ed realizes he has to get up and ready to go see his old friend today, at the flower market. "Looks like Winry dragged Al outa here already, ha-ha, poor Alphonse." Ed says to himself throwing clothes all over looking for something that smelled clean. He grabbed his black button down shirt, but it was wrinkled to high heaven. "Hmmm… Looks like I'll have to buy a new outfit. But, I don't have enough time." Ed stops to think, he can't seem to find anything clean… but then he remembers. "I can wear what I had on in that place called Germany."

Ed runs to his closet hopping over clothes and shoes on the way. He puts on his outfit and adjusts himself in the mirror. "I feel like I'm gonna be sick…" Ed says allowed nervously. It's been so long and what he and this mystery woman had shared was true. Ed puts on his boots and runs out the door before he winds up late, and disappoints her again.

"Hey Al?" Winry asks, wanting to ask another, more important question. "Yes Winry?" Al responds politely. "Do you think Ed likes me at all?" Alphonse grows confused, "Of course brother likes you he talks about you all the time." Winry's face gets red and she squeals a little inside. "I think we should go get him a present, let's go Al." Al chases after Winry, again.

Ed wipes the sweat from his brow, "This is it, and I hope I don't screw up again." He looks for the right flowers she had mentioned in her letter; the same ones he had laid on the night table beside her head; the night he left her. "Are these for a special young lady sonny?" The old woman asks holding Ed's hand. "Uh, uh, yeah… They are, Can-can, yea thanks." The woman let go and rang up the flowers. "Well, she must love you, because you seem small for a seventeen year old." Ed's face goes red, "who you calling' a bug so small you could squash with a dime huh?!" Ed realizes how frightened the old woman was and apologized and continued to search, for her.

"The black roses… Black roses… Oh, there they are." Ed runs towards the black rose field. "Is that her?" He squints to see a young lady dressed in a black dress with a butterfly on her finger. "Yeah, that's KiKi…" Ed begins to run again, but slows down when he's just about to her. "KiKi, I…" She turns, "Edward, I've missed you so much." She flings her arms around him, in a big embrace. "KiKi It's been so long how've you been?" Ed scratched the back of his head nervously. "I've been ok… How about yourself Eddi?" Ed's mind is running a mile a minute and he can't believe she's finally here, in front of him again. "I've been busy, with studying for the exams and all. Not that I need to, because General Mustang could put me back in because I was…" KiKi lets out a giggle, "Oh Eddi, you do still boast about yourself in the worst ways." She smiles and moves the hair from his face, just like she used to. "You've actually grown some since the last time I saw you." Ed smiled in accomplishment.

Ed looks slightly down at her and smiles, "hey lets sit and you can tell me what I've been missing, huh?" KiKi agrees and sits next to him. Ed keeps studying her face, and way she moved when she explained things with her hands. "Ha-ha you actually did that?" Ed says in amazement. Not in amazement just by the words she was saying, but by how the sun was hitting her face. The way the day seemed to be endless and perfect for the moment, almost like time had stood still. "So, Eddi, tell me about your adventures." KiKi scoots over towards him and puts his arm around her shoulder. Ed blushes and goes on telling her about how he and his brother fought alongside scar, and about the homunculi.

"And that brings me here, sitting with you… hey, look..." Ed sits up from lying down with her, looking up at the sky. "What is it Ed?" She questions. "What I did to you those years ago was wrong. And I'm so sorry I caused you so much pain, I heard about what happened to you after I left town." KiKi is just about in tears, wondering why he would bring something so painful back up. "Ed, stop, its ok don't worry about it…" Ed cuts KiKi off mid-sentence. "No, it's not ok, and that night I left, I left my heart with you. I didn't want to leave, but I had to. I had to get my brother back to his human body… I-I..." Ed stops and thinks before he continues. "Well you what Edward?" Ed looks at the ground to stop the tears from flowing.

"If I would have stayed, If I would have just said forget it I'm happy… You wouldn't have ended up in the hospital… Alone, and depressed." KiKi takes Ed's hand and stands up. "I still love you Edward that will never change, no matter what happens In the long run. The past is the past, don't dwell on it." Ed sighs and grabs her waist to lift her in the air, and twirl her around, just like he used to, those years ago. "Well, I think… Hey is that brother?" Alphonse points out Edward in the field holding to them the "mystery girl" close. "Who is that with him?" Winry goes running as if he was running for her life. "Ed!" She shouts from the beginning of the field. But he's so caught up in KiKi that he didn't even notice the flowers being ripped up from the earth, or Winry for that matter.

"Hehehe, yes Edward." KiKi giggles happily, with her and Ed nose to nose. "Hey Ed, whose this?" Winry gets jealous and fast. "This is an old friend of mine, Winry, KiKi, KiKi, Winry." KiKi and Winry shake hands and then Winry tries to run off with Edward. "Hey Winry I'm gonna stay a little longer so uhm yeah, can you tell Al I'll see him later?" Winry gets angry and says ok before running off towards Alphonse.

"So, where are you staying?" Ed asks KiKi before kissing her, just like old times. "Well I haven't found a place yet I just got here today. The letter was just perfect timing I guess." She smiled at Ed, intently. "Well, you can always stay with Al and me." KiKi pulls away from Ed and agrees to stay at his three bedroom apartment. They walk hand in hand down the dimly lit street, past the boutiques and the eateries, up to the front door. "Hey stay right here ok I have to do something real quick." KiKi agrees and sits on the step in waiting. "KiKi!" Alphonse yells happily before running up to her. "Can I help you?" She questions not realizing its Al. "It's me Al, you remember me right?" KiKi's mind flashed to the big suit of armor, which was once Alphonse. "Of course I do! How are you?" She gives Alphonse a big hug and smiles at Winry peacefully. Winry thinks bad of her and pushes past her to go inside.

"Hey Ed, I…" Ed pushes past Winry to go get KiKi and bring her inside of a clean apartment. "Ok, we're all set now… Allyoop!" Ed picks KiKi up and carries her inside. "Hahaha, Eddi… Will you up me down already?" KiKi laughs along with Edward. But off in the bedroom Winry pouts. "Oh Eddi, Eddi, Eddi this… Who is she anyway, I've known him longer, and he like me right?" Winry comes out of the bedroom and sits on the couch next to Alphonse. "SO KiKi tell me about yourself then?" Winry says roughly. "Oh, uh, well I grew up in a little town…" KiKi continues with her bringing up of life. "Hey Edward?" She questions. "Yes lovely?" Ed looks at her like he hasn't seen anything that beautiful in decades. "Where am I sleeping, and where should I put my things before it gets too late?" Ed smirked and pointed to a bedroom, his bedroom.

Winry's jaw dropped, she couldn't believe what she was seeing today. "Brother, uh, that's your room though; I can sleep on the couch its ok really." Al says wondering if he pointed there since there were no more bedrooms. "No Al, she's going to sleep with me like old times right KiKi?" her face turns cherry red and she shakes her head yes. Alphonse looked dumbfounded and Winry, well she was red with anger and jealously. "Ok, well, I'm really tired from traveling and talking so much today, so I'm going to head to sleep, goodnight Al, Winry… Ed." Ed smiles and grabs her arm as she walks by, to turn her around for a kiss goodnight. After they kissed and KiKi went into Ed's room and shut the door, Winry flipped out on Edward.

"What's this?! I thought all this time you liked me!? Now she comes along and your all over her!?" Winry takes a breath. "Because Winry, she's my ex-fiancé!? Stop freakin out over nothing and yea I do like you, as a friend!?" Ed's stress made him fall into the chair. "So stop yelling you'll wake her and Alphonse." Winry gets her purse and bag and walks right out the front door. "Winry!? Winry, where are you going?! Winry?!" Ed screams from the door way to his apartment.


	4. Chapter 3

Better Days to Come

[[Chapter 3: She's gone, but she's here

Ed seems to stroll into bed some awkward time in the morning waking KiKi from a sound sleep. "Ed? Are you ok?" KiKi rolls over to face him groggily. Ed pulls the blankets up around them, "nothing I just couldn't sleep, but I'm tired now." KiKi can see that Ed's lying, and looks at him seriously. "Eddi, your lying to me what's really wrong?" he pauses and takes a breath, "Winry left, because of me… She just gets jealous so easily and well yeah…" KiKi nods her head to say she understands. "Well, sleep ok... You have that exam to worry about." Ed pulls her close and snuggles in, because he's not sure if she's going to leave too.

Al wakes up and wonders out into the living room alone, no one else is up. "Uh, Ed?" He whispers to himself. Al sneaks over to Ed's door and cracks it a little… "Oh, well ok their still asleep." He shuts the door quietly but no sooner he did, Ed and KiKi wake from well needed sleep. "Good morning sweety." Ed moves the hair from KiKi's face and kisses her cheek. "Morning Eddi…" They walk out into the living room and spot Alphonse sitting on the couch watching TV. "Hey Al scoot over will ya'" Ed mashes Al into the couch to make him slide over. "Ed, you'd better get dressed and go study your exam is tomorrow." He looks up at KiKi wanting to say no, don't worry about it. But he knew she was right and goes to get dressed.

Ed makes his way down the street and stops at the diner he ate at with Winry. He can't stop thinking about that whole argument. He's replayed it in his head now about twenty times. "She's so stubborn!" He thinks to himself over and over again like a broken record. Finally Edwards seems to make his way to the library and walks in. "Hey there Edward, I see you haven't grown any." Ed spins around flustered with the short crack. "Hughs?" Ed questions allowed, there he was Hughs in the flesh. "Hey Hughs it's been a while since I've seen you last. What are you doing back in Central?" Hughs ruffles Ed's hair and they sit and talk for a little while. "And so Mustang said I needed to be closer to Central… OH WILL YOU LOOK AT MY LITTLE GIRL SHE'S ALMOST FOUR YEARS OLD, OH HOWS SHE'S GROWNING EDWARD." Hugh's daughter's picture was being pushed in Ed's face. But this was normal to Ed because he did this every time they've seen each other.

"Yeah Hughs she growing up fast…" Ed rolls his eyes, then a he spaces out for a second or two. He sees a flash of kids running in a yard, along with him and KiKi running after them. There were two girls and two boys. "Hey, so how you holding up? The last time I saw you, you were a mess because you had to leave that girl back in Little West Grove." Ed snaps out of his zoning and looks at Hughs. "Well, I was doing horrible, but she's back… She's at my place, with Al." Hughs smiles and stands to leave, "ask her to marry you again Edward, trust me, you don't want to lose the love of your life again now would you?" With that Hughs walks out of the front doors and vanished into the crowd of people. "Ask her again..." Ed stands and decides today he wasn't going to study but go for a walk to think.

"Ask her to marry me again? What if she says no? Because I hurt her bad last time, so bad she almost died. What if I'm not cut out for family life?" So many important questions ran through Ed's mind. He wanted to be sure of what he was doing before he did it, so he wouldn't regret it. Ed took out an older pocket watch from his father and looked at the time. "Holy crap! Its seven thirty already?!" Ed turns and starts to run all the way back home, he forgot about Al and KiKi for the moment. Ed's gasping for air by the time he reaches the front door. "Hey guys, I'm ba-…" Ed spots Al sitting all alone, on the floor watching TV again. "Al, where's KiKi?" Al looks at Ed sadly, "she went back home today… She didn't want to say goodbye because she thought it would hurt you to much and that you would beg her to stay when she really couldn't." Al points at a letter, written and placed on the desk by the front door. Ed rips it off of the table, his heart racing, and his eyes tearing because he didn't get to say goodbye.

_Dear Eddi,_

_I'm sorry I have to leave you, but I can't stay. My family needs me at home and I'm not sure I could go through all of this again. Before when you left I thought my life was over but then I heard about your successes and I found you again. I wish things were different, I really do. I took the flowers from the vase to remember you by again, I love you Edward Elric… Don't forget me and I won't forget you, promise._

_Forever and Always,_

_KiKi_

Ed looks frantically over at the vase; nothing was left except for a single red rose. "You guys are playing with me right?!" Ed races to his room, all her things were gone and he fell to the ground. He can't help but feel like his heart was ripped from his chest. "NO, NO, NO, NO!? It was going to work this time… I was gonna make ends meet, I was gonna tell her to stay!? I was gonna ask her to share her life with me again!? AL!!!" Alphonse standing there, seeing his brother falling to pieces and breaking down made him feel like he was useless like he couldn't help with the pain Ed was feeling inside. Ed face was saturated with salty tears. "Brother, it will be ok… You'll be ok I know you will… Brother?" Ed had stopped crying and looked at the picture of her and him together at the flower market. He grabs it, "No Al, I'm going to get her. I can't take not being with her again." Ed stands and goes in his room to pack a bag. "Al, let's go, It's time to hit the long road." Ed walks out, with Alphonse in tow, Central train station is calling.


	5. Chapter 4

Better Days to Come

[[Chapter 4: Pleading Never Pleases

Eds gazing out of the train window and thinking about the letter KiKi had left. Al is passed out on the seat in front of him. "Can I offer you some Ramen or a soda?" The stewardess asks Ed politely. "No, no thank you." Ed had shocked himself that he turned down food, but she was more important. Before he knew it, Ed was asleep on the seat and didn't wake up until the train had stopped. "Brother, brother wake up this is our stop." Al shakes his brother awake. "I'm up quick shaking me!" Ed shouts and sits straight up. They depart from the train in Little West Grove, and Ed is automatically sad. "Hey Al, check this out." Ed picks up a flower, one of the same ones he had bought for KiKi. "Maybe she dropped it Brother…" Ed shrugs and heads to the closest place to eat.

After a bite to eat and a no longer empty stomach Ed trudges along hopelessly. "Hey Al, you think she'll come back with us?" Al shrugs and keeps following his brother aimlessly. They wonder down some random street to the next and they still haven't spotted her anywhere. "Brother, do you even know where she lives here?" Al questions stopping to take a break. Ed stops and turns around, "It's been so long since I've been here, I'm not quite sure anymore. I think I remember the street but I'm still not sure on that either." Ed is just about in pieces because he wants to find KiKi so badly. "But we're not stopping until we find her Al, so get up." Ed grabs his brother and pulls him up off of the ground. They continued to walk, until they couldn't walk anymore. So, they found a place to stay for the night and they slept for a while.

Morning came fast and Ed was up and ready to search another day. "Al, wake up." Ed yells across their beat down motel room. "Oh, but brother, it's only seven o'clock in the morning." Al whined wanting to sleep just a few more minutes like always. Ed left him there to sleep and went into town to search again. He still had her letter running through his mind. Every corner he turned he wished, just wished she would be there, just standing there. "Excuse me, have you seen a girl about five four, she has green eyes and shoulder length hair, her names KiKi?" Ed seemed to ask about one hundred people the same question; until finally he found someone who did know her. "Oh yes, she lives on…" Ed was thrilled to have found someone.

After he had gotten all of the information he ran back to the motel to grab Al. "What, you found out where she lives?" Al was so happy for his brother he almost screamed. "Pack up Al, so we can get goin'." As soon as Al packed they were out the door and headed to KiKi. Ed was hoping she would be home and not at work or something like that. They walked down a paved road, and then made a left onto a dirt road. "Brother, are you sure you remember what that lady said?" Al questions praying their not lost. "Al I know where I'm going, trust me."

Ed spots a house in the distance and starts to run, leaving his brother behind. "Hey. Hey brother, wait up, please." Al runs after him. This was it, Ed has come all this way, now he hopes she won't turn him down. "Ok Al, here goes." Ed knocks… No answer. So, Ed knocks twice more. Finally she comes to the door and answers sleepily. "Huh? Ed? What are you and Al doing here?" Ed smiled, he was just so happy to have found her. "We came to get you." "Get me? What? Ed, Al, come in." KiKi opens the door more and they follow her inside, so does her outdoor cat. While Alphonse is pre-occupied with the little cat named Momo, Ed sits and has some tea with KiKi, since it was only nine o'clock in the morning. "So Ed, explain to me why you're here again?" KiKi sips her tea and closes up her robe a little more to get warm. "I'm here to ask if you'll come back to Central with Al and me." Ed looks at his tea and stirs it around. "Ed I can't, you know that." Ed looks up sternly. "No I don't know, you seemed so happy and then you left; without even waiting to say goodbye."

KiKi frowned a little, "I told you in the letter why, you would beg me to stay… and I couldn't of." They stop talking for a minute or two and Ed stands up and moves to the seat next to her. He turns and looks in her vibrant green eyes, "But, I love you… and I want you to come home with me KiKi." She looks at Ed, intensely, and then begins to tear up a little. "I just can't Ed. I'm sorry, I have too many responsibilities here, and I just can't leave." Ed lays his head in his hands, and starts to cry. "Edward, I think you should know… Come with me." He looks up at her and takes her hand. KiKi leads Ed to a back room of the house. Ed was in shock when she opened the door. All he saw was pink, and a crib, with a baby asleep inside.


End file.
